Narrative:

I departed psp for ZZZ planned as psp tnp eed ZZZ. I was a bit fatigued. I have been doing a great deal of IFR training in the los angeles basin area in a different aircraft (with a moving map). On this flight; I was working with somewhat unfamiliar analog equipment. I asked for flight following. I then departed heavy with a need to deviate significantly from the flight plan that I had put into the GPS to climb for terrain. After clearing the terrain; I was substantially off course. I then decided to work with the vors 'for some practice.' VOR reception is very bad in this mountainous terrain. When I seemed to get indications that I was off course; I continued to rely on the GPS which I had put into the 'direct to' mode. I never re-centered the deviation bar because of my distraction with the new autoplt and the bouncing vors. Therefore; I maintained a track that was completely incorrect. Next; I got a call from ZLA informing me that radar contact was lost (terrain). I was kept on the same beacon code and told to expect re-identify in 10 mi. During the next 5-6 mins; I began to realize via pilotage that I was off course north and west of my expected position. I didn't realize that I had gotten so far north as to penetrate the restr airspace. I was correcting to the south when I got the call from ZLA that I was in restr space and needed to fly 090 degrees for the most expeditious exit. Analysis: fatigue played a role. Going back to non-graphical navigation equipment played a role. I had become too dependent on the moving map. Flight following increased the dependence factor as well. The 'coup de grace' though; was the loss of positional awareness that came with unnecessary fiddling with vors and a new autoplt.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PILOT REPORTS BECOMING DISORIENTATED DUE TO UNFAMILIAR ANALOG INSTRUMENTS AND FLIES INTO RESTRICTED AIRSPACE NORTH OF TNP.

Narrative: I DEPARTED PSP FOR ZZZ PLANNED AS PSP TNP EED ZZZ. I WAS A BIT FATIGUED. I HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT DEAL OF IFR TRAINING IN THE LOS ANGELES BASIN AREA IN A DIFFERENT ACFT (WITH A MOVING MAP). ON THIS FLT; I WAS WORKING WITH SOMEWHAT UNFAMILIAR ANALOG EQUIP. I ASKED FOR FLT FOLLOWING. I THEN DEPARTED HVY WITH A NEED TO DEVIATE SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE FLT PLAN THAT I HAD PUT INTO THE GPS TO CLB FOR TERRAIN. AFTER CLRING THE TERRAIN; I WAS SUBSTANTIALLY OFF COURSE. I THEN DECIDED TO WORK WITH THE VORS 'FOR SOME PRACTICE.' VOR RECEPTION IS VERY BAD IN THIS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. WHEN I SEEMED TO GET INDICATIONS THAT I WAS OFF COURSE; I CONTINUED TO RELY ON THE GPS WHICH I HAD PUT INTO THE 'DIRECT TO' MODE. I NEVER RE-CTRED THE DEV BAR BECAUSE OF MY DISTR WITH THE NEW AUTOPLT AND THE BOUNCING VORS. THEREFORE; I MAINTAINED A TRACK THAT WAS COMPLETELY INCORRECT. NEXT; I GOT A CALL FROM ZLA INFORMING ME THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST (TERRAIN). I WAS KEPT ON THE SAME BEACON CODE AND TOLD TO EXPECT RE-IDENT IN 10 MI. DURING THE NEXT 5-6 MINS; I BEGAN TO REALIZE VIA PILOTAGE THAT I WAS OFF COURSE N AND W OF MY EXPECTED POS. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT I HAD GOTTEN SO FAR N AS TO PENETRATE THE RESTR AIRSPACE. I WAS CORRECTING TO THE S WHEN I GOT THE CALL FROM ZLA THAT I WAS IN RESTR SPACE AND NEEDED TO FLY 090 DEGS FOR THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS EXIT. ANALYSIS: FATIGUE PLAYED A ROLE. GOING BACK TO NON-GRAPHICAL NAV EQUIP PLAYED A ROLE. I HAD BECOME TOO DEPENDENT ON THE MOVING MAP. FLT FOLLOWING INCREASED THE DEPENDENCE FACTOR AS WELL. THE 'COUP DE GRACE' THOUGH; WAS THE LOSS OF POSITIONAL AWARENESS THAT CAME WITH UNNECESSARY FIDDLING WITH VORS AND A NEW AUTOPLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.